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TinyPilot repeatedly restarting
#1
My TinyPilot started up fine today, but after an hour or so began to restart itself repeatedly.

I see blinking green lights on the Motor Controller but do not know the meanings -- I assume they represent error messages?

On restart, I see the usual PyPillot screen, then a Connecting to server message, then (sometimes) a brief view of the compass heading, then it restarts.

Any suggestions?
Kip Hansen
S/V Golden Dawn
S/V Merlin
kip@i4.net

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#2
The first thing I would do is make a new sd card image and try with a new card. This will determine software or hardware.

You might post the pypilot.conf settings as there could be something there causing this. Would be good to see the log file but i'm not sure you can get it in time.
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#3
(2020-06-26, 01:53 AM)seandepagnier Wrote: The first thing I would do is make a new sd card image and try with a new card.   This will determine software or hardware.

You might post the pypilot.conf settings as there could be something there causing this.   Would be good to see the log file but i'm not sure you can get it in time.

Thanks, Sean.

Link to TinyPilot image download?
Kip Hansen
S/V Golden Dawn
S/V Merlin
kip@i4.net

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#4
I am going to need some help from some experienced users.

I have pulled the SD card from the TinyPilot and have directions for loading an SD card image for OpenPlotter from 

https://openplotter.readthedocs.io/en/la...installing
and
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentatio.../README.md

When I look at the contents of the existing SD card, I don't see any PyPilot files in there (unless they are down in the .gz bins) -- for example, I would like to show the "pypilot.conf " contents, but there is no such file on my SD card.

I know, NEWBIE!

Can anyone point me to the TinyPilot image file I need to install?
Kip Hansen
S/V Golden Dawn
S/V Merlin
kip@i4.net

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#5
https://pypilot.org/images/tinypilot_21122019.img.xz

The pypilot.conf is in a hidden folder .pypilot/pypilot.conf
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#6
Sean,

Thanks for that.

After installing the new image, I now get, after some time:

"Bad voltage fault"

I get this after some time regardless of the USB power supply used for the TinyPilot.  

And regardless of whether or not the Motor Controller (supplied with 12 vdc) is connected.  Of course, the TinyPilot complains when the Motor Controller is disconnected or not powered up "WARNING:   no motor controller".

With the "Bad voltage fault" message, the TinyPilot will not engage.

Took me some time to realize that the Bad Voltage might be to the Motor Controller and NOT the TinyPilot.  Measuring Voltage In to Motor Controller -- and checking in INFO menu -- shows voltage from the gel cell battery I am using is 10.9 vdc.    The specs state working voltage range should be
10.5-15v -- but maybe not in reality.  

I will try all this again with a more dependable 12VDC power supply. 

Does this make sense -- voltage problem?
Kip Hansen
S/V Golden Dawn
S/V Merlin
kip@i4.net

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#7
bad voltage is the voltage to the controller, yes. Either too high or too low.

Some of the older controllers don't work to as low a voltage, they may need 11.7 instead of 10.5, and if your battery is only 10.9 it might drop this in wiring and also when the controller draws any power, it will instantly drop and trigger this.

Can you charge the battery up? If it's at 10.9 volts it might not be a very good battery anymore.
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#8
(2020-07-02, 05:49 PM)seandepagnier Wrote: bad voltage is the voltage to the controller, yes.   Either too high or too low.

Some of the older controllers don't work to as low a voltage, they may need 11.7 instead of 10.5, and if your battery is only 10.9 it might drop this in wiring and also when the controller draws any power, it will instantly drop and trigger this.

Can you charge the battery up?  If it's at 10.9 volts it might not be a very good battery anymore.

Sean ==>   Thanks, once I got the Bad Voltage Fault message, I suspected that the feature that prevents the AP from damage from low or high voltage and/or draining the boat batteries completely was kicking in. 

My 10.9 was foolishly low for a lead acid battery and in real on-the-water use would have never been allowed to happen -- I was just not paying enough attention with everything on the work-bench.   (My workbench boat is a boat shaped piece of plywood with all your bits mounted on it).

This is a steep learning curve for me at my age . . . . I am a little slower to absorb new ideas . . . . but I am getting there. 

PS:  If you are in Oriental still, I may get a chance to visit you if my son asks me to help with the ICW Beaufort-to-Norfolk leg. 

Thank you.
Kip Hansen
S/V Golden Dawn
S/V Merlin
kip@i4.net

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